Summary On 2 August 1998, the Panamanian bulk carrier FederalFraser was calling at the Port of Qubec to discharge steel plates at the shipyard. As the vessel was initiating its final approach to Murphy wharf, assisted by a tug and under the conduct of a harbour pilot, it grounded during high tide on a sand shoal southeast of its course. Ce rapport est galement disponible en franais. Other Factual Information Particulars of the Vessel The FederalFraser is a bulk carrier with its bridge, accommodation, and engine room located aft of the seven cargo holds. With a deadweight capacity of 35 315 tonnes, this ocean-going vessel is of maximum dimension for the St. Lawrence Seaway. It is fitted with a bow thruster to facilitate docking and departure. History of the Voyage On August 1, at approximately 22422, the FederalFraser dropped anchor at Qubec harbour anchorage D, waiting to unload 1135 steel plates at the shipyard's Murphy wharf at Lvis. The Qubec Port Authority identifies this wharf as berth No73. The vessel weighed anchor on August2 at approximately 0130. On the bridge were the master, the officer of the watch, a helmsman, and a harbour pilot conducting the vessel visually. At 0142 the pilot advised Marine Communications and Traffic Services (MCTS) that the vessel was leaving anchorage D to approach the shipyard entrance. At 0146 the tug Ocean Bravo was secured by the bow, forward of the accommodation on the starboard side. The weather was clear and no traffic was in the area. The vessel steered towards the basin by completing a turn in the St. Lawrence River waterway. In the approaches to the shipyard, the vessel was steered for north of the mole of wharf No75, and when the face of the wharf was visible, the pilot ordered the helmsman to steer a course of 225G. Drifting southeast, the pilot aligned the vessel with a yellow tower at the back of the basin and the MCTS radar tower in Lvis. The approach manoeuvre was carried out at an approximate speed of one knot. The chief officer on the forecastle informed the master that the vessel's bow was about 40m from the entrance to the dock. A little later, he reported a distance of about 30m. At about 0200 the shipyard staff assigned to moor the vessel observed that the vessel had stopped about 75m off Murphy wharf. At 0202 the main engine was stopped, put to full astern, and then half astern. At 0215 the pilot noticed that the vessel ran aground. Then, at 0218, the main engine was stopped. At 0225 the pilot asked about the water level via his cellular telephone. The MCTS marine traffic regulator informed him that the tide gauge measured the water level at 3.98m. The speed was changed from full astern to full ahead, but the vessel slowly swung round on itself. When the speed was increased again to full ahead at 0310, the vessel remained dead in the water. Thus, navigating personnel concluded that the vessel was aground. The radar indicated a distance of 0.15 nautical miles from the mole of Murphy wharf. At 0312 the OceanBravo pushed against the vessel's port side in an effort to free it. An inspection of the compartments did not reveal any water ingress. At 0405, with the assistance of the tug, the FederalFraser swung to starboard and then refloated. It was then decided to return to the anchorage. At 0445 the pilot advised MCTS that the vessel was back at anchorageD. In a second attempt, on August4, the FederalFraser docked at Murphy wharf without further incident. This time, assisted by two tugs, the approach to the basin was made during high tide by aligning the vessel with the mole of berth No75. Damage to the Vessel Soundings of the compartments conducted after the occurrence did not reveal any water ingress. On August5, as the vessel was moored at Murphy wharf, an underwater inspection was performed along the port bottom plating. The inspection revealed the presence of scoring on the bilge strake and the adjacent bottom strake between frames nos213 and225 under hold No2. A second concentration of scoring was observed in way of the transverse bulkhead between holds nos2 and3 on the bilge and bottom strakes between frames nos186 and196. According to the underwater inspection plans, this damage is located between about 30m and 75m from the vessel's bow. Weather and Current Conditions On August 2 the following weather conditions were recorded in the bridge log book of the FederalFraser: light wind, partly overcast sky, and a temperature of 16C. According to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) Atlas of Tidal Currents, during high tide, the current arrow off Murphy wharf indicated a current of 1.12knots in an estimated direction of 280T. However, after the change of tide, the current overturned and then flowed eastward. According to the DFO Canadian Tide and Current Tables, on August2 the predicted height and time of high tide were 4.1m at 0200 eastern daylight time. The tide gauge recorded high tide at approximately the same time but as 3.9m high. Nautical Charts and Bathymetric Surveys Before boarding, the pilot had consulted his copy of CHS chart No1316 at his home.3 Pilots are responsible for updating their nautical charts and his was, to his knowledge, up to date. Any local authority, company, or person wishing to carry out works in the navigable waters of Canada must apply to DFO, Navigable Waterways Protection Division (NWPD), for approval. However, if a survey is produced which does not follow work such as construction, dumping, or excavation, the person or organization conducting the survey is not required to inform the NWPD of the survey results. The NWPD has an information/data-sharing agreement with the CHS. The shipyard received an excavation-of-materials permit from the Navigable Waterways Branch of Transport Canada (now the NWPD of DFO) in1992. A copy of the post-dredging survey, dated 5July1992 and entitled Ent. Normand Juneau inc, No92-004, was sent to the CHS. In 1996 the shipyard carried out a private sounding of the basin and its approaches to assess the water depth available for docking drilling platforms. The bathymetric survey (dated 25June1996, entitled BPR NoAO-E03-9600-X-001) was produced and distributed to the appropriate departments of the shipyard. However, no excavation was done and no copy of this survey was forwarded to NWPD or, consequently, to the CHS. The shipyard did not forward a copy of the survey to the CHS directly. A data-sharing agreement also exists between the CHS and port authorities. If the works lie within the limits of a port over which the port authority has jurisdiction, the authority will inform the CHS directly of any change in survey results. However, this agreement does not apply to a private area in a port. The shipyard is located in a private area of the Port of Qubec, and there was no procedure requiring the shipyard administration to submit its new bathymetric surveys to the Port of Qubec Corporation.4 Consequently, the results of the 1996 bathymetric survey were not forwarded to the harbour master's office. At the time of the occurrence, the shipyard had two bathymetric surveys showing the bottom contour near the yard, but the Port of Qubec Corporation and the Corporation des pilotes du Bas Saint-Laurent were aware of only the 1992 bathymetric survey. Before going on this assignment, the pilot had consulted a copy of this survey. He was unaware of the existence of the 1996 survey. When the CHS receives a bathymetric survey produced by the private sector, it verifies the parameters used to produce the document, such as chart datum and references. If the survey is not conducted according to CHS criteria, the verification process is more complicated. Private sector soundings and surveys are not subject to a CHS quality control program. Charted depths are maintained by sounding and dredging navigable waterways. The frequency of this work is determined by the historical assessment of needs and special demands. There were no CCG plans to conduct soundings in the approaches to the shipyard in 1998. Further to the grounding, the CHS conducted such soundings in September1998. In November1998, the CHS produced a bathymetric survey of the area entitled QuaideMILDavieLauzon,No321/1018. Available Water Depth CHS chart No1316 shows a shoal on the eastern side of the basin entrance. Both the 1992 and 1996 bathymetric surveys show that the shoal extends westward. Notship127/98 indicates that in July1997, a 3.2-mridge was discovered in the western part of this shoal. The 1998survey also detected the presence of a new ridge, 3.8m deep, on the west side of the shoal. This ridge, with an area of about 200m2, lies north of the 3.2-mridge and the 5-misobath and is about 75m north-northeast of the mole of Murphy wharf. There is no notice warning of silting on CHS chart No1316. At about 0200 on August2, the Qubec tide gauge trace indicated a water level of 3.9m above chart datum. The tide gauge trace showed that the actual time and height of high tide were consistent with those forecast, i.e. 4.1m. The pilot indicated - and the tide gauge trace confirmed - that, after high tide, the water level fell more quickly than expected. When the vessel refloated at about 0400, the water level had fallen to 3.05m. With a maximum draught of 7.6m and a water level ranging between 4.1m and 3.05m, the FederalFraser would strike any shoal over which it passed which was less than 3.5m deep. CHS chart No1316 shows a limiting depth of over 3.7m on the direct approach to Murphy wharf from the river. According to the vessel's bell book, the depth was 6.3m at 0240 and 3.8m at 0317. Aids to Navigation Navigators, including pilots, use land topography to conduct ships visually. Among the features charted by the CHS, there are natural features, cultural features, and landmarks. The CHS inventories and chooses which landmarks to chart. To align the vessel with the mid-point of the basin, the pilot used, in the background, the MCTS radar tower and, in the foreground, a yellow tower on berth No74. The CHS does not have a list of landmarks used by pilots in the area. Some features useful to pilots are not charted by the CHS. At the time of this occurrence, the CHS had not received a request to chart the position of the yellow tower on its chart No1316. This yellow structure was used to carry power supply lines to the General Georges P. Vanier floating dry dock. This 7.17-mhigh tower stands 67.3m and 36m from berths Nos73 and75, respectively. However, a prominent feature, the floating dry dock, was charted even though it was no longer at the shipyard. No mariner had advised CHS of this change. A group of communication radio towers located west of Fort No1 at Pointe de Lvy are used by navigators as landmarks. The pilot used one of these towers abeam to judge the vessel's movement. In the foreground, he observed the shipyard's cranes; in the background, he noticed the 76.2-mVHF tower, which was illuminated. Although these towers were listed by the CHS, their number and location have changed over the years. The CCG surveyed the new installations after the changes, but this information was not submitted to the CHS. The DFO Technical Services Branch limited its verification of radio telecommunication towers to the towers' radio-electric performance. At the time of the occurrence, the positioning of the radio towers on the chart was not subject to the degree of precision inherent in the CHS verification process of some landmarks known to be used by navigators. Participation of Navigating Personnel Before departing from anchorageD, the pilot informed navigating personnel of the route that he intended to follow and stated the subsequent mooring manoeuvre he would execute. At 0220 an entry was made in the bridge logbook that the vessel was awaiting a favourable tide to enter the basin. Further entries were made in the vessel's bell book concerning speed changes until 0310, when the vessel was logged as having come to a stop. Tug Assistance The number of tugs used for the approach and docking manoeuvre at Murphy wharf was left to the discretion of the master and the shipping agent . As the vessel was fitted with a bow thruster, all agreed to the use of one tug. Approach Manoeuvre The pilot conducted the vessel visually using the landmarks with which he was familiar. During the approach, the pitch of the propeller was reduced to 1.5 to reduce the vessel's speed.5 To stem the current and drift to the southeast, the pilot engaged the bow thruster and ordered the tug to push against the vessel's aft starboard side. The pilot estimated that he followed a route south of the 7.6-mand 5.9-msoundings at the entrance to the basin. The crew observed minimal sideways drift in the final phase of the approach. Reporting of the Grounding Neither the pilot nor navigating personnel informed MCTS of the grounding before the vessel was refloated. The pilot had access to VHF radiotelephones and a portable radiotelephone on the vessel, but he used his cellular telephone to ask MCTS about the water level. Upon returning to anchorageD, the pilot used a VHF radiotelephone to report his position to MCTS. The conversation was limited to when the next attempt would be made to dock at the shipyard. It was not until the pilot requested the services of a pilot boat by cellular telephone that he confirmed to the Pilot Dispatch Centre attendant that the FederalFraser had been aground. Although the MCTS regulator maintained a VHF radiotelephone watch as well as a radar and visual watch, he did not notice that the vessel remained motionless for about two hours. In the morning, the Corporation des pilotes du Bas Saint-Laurent confirmed the occurrence, and the Pilot Dispatch Centre advised the MCTS supervisor. At about 1010 a regulator radiotelephoned the crew to obtain information about any damage to the vessel and to check whether there had been any pollution.